Confessions
by Uchiha-Griffin
Summary: It's summer and that means whole bunches of love confessions in Konoha! And maybe some in suna! LE GASP! sasusaku, naruhina, shikatema, and inochou. :


"Confessions"

By Uchiha-Griffin. I don't own Naruto!

Apparently some Narusaku will be going on soon in the manga… and they're gonna kill off Sasuke?! AS AN AVID SASUSAKU/NARUHINA FAN I CAN ONLY HOPE FOR THE BEST!! SAKURA YOU MUST REJECT NARUTO AND WAIT FOR SASUKE-KUN!!!!!!!!!! We must always believe in Sasusaku no matter what!

This story has: Mostly Sasusaku, along with Naruhina, Jiraitsu, Inochou, and Shikatema!! Also: Saku x Ino FRIENDSHIP and Gaa x Kankuro BROTHERLY LOVE!! Yay!

Please enjoy, my favorite Sasusaku Shippers!! I dedicate this fic to anyone who has believed in Sasusaku since you picked up your first volume of Naruto, like me!!

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Naruto gulped as he stood outside Sakura's apartment door. This was it, now or never. He had one chance, and if she didn't love him, that was it, and he wasn't going to try anymore. He had to except defeat and move on. Just as he raised his hand to knock on the door, it opened.

"Ahh!" Sakura gasped and grabbed his fist, twisting it behind his back. "AHH!!! SAKURA-CHAN LAY OFF THE NINJA MOVES WILL YA?!" Naruto yelled. "Oh, Sorry Naru-baka! Are you okay?" Sakura said and released his arm. He shook it out and winced. "Yeah, sure I guess." he muttered.

Sakura raised a pink eyebrow. "Naru-baka, is something wrong?" Naruto shook his head very unconvincingly. " NO!!!NOTHING AT ALL WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THAT?!" He practically yelled, flailing around. Sakura raised her fist. "Naruto, you idiot! Shut up, or I'll get in trouble with the landlord!!"

"Oh, right… my bad…" He muttered. "Now, what did you come here to tell me? I'm very busy counting the cracks on my ceiling, so can you get on with it?" Sakura asked irritably. Naruto smiled nervously. "Oh, yeah… that…" He took a step forward.

"Sakura, I want you to hear me out, okay? Like, no punching or interrupting me."

"Whatever, Naruto. Just hurry it up!!"

"Okay… well, umm… Sakura-chan, I've been wanting to tell you for a long time now… that I, with every fiber of my being… I um, I…"

Sakura twitched as she stood there with her arms crossed. "You what?"

"Look, this isn't easy for me, and you promised me you wouldn't interrupt!! Listen, Sakura-chan, every since academy, I've felt this way!! Whenever I look at you, it gets deeper!! Why can't you just see that I lo…!"

Before he could finish there was an poof of smoke next to them, and Sai stepped out. "Hey, guys. I hope I didn't interrupt anything." He said monotonously. Naruto looked just about ready to pass out. Sakura looked over at Sai with a smile. "Hey, Sai. What's up?" she asked, walking away from Naruto.

"Sakura, Naruto. I have very important news from the Godaime." Sakura looked suspicious. "What kind of news?" Naruto looked up from his moping, now interested.

"The kind you've been waiting for five years to hear." Sai answered seriously.

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Sakura, Sai, and Naruto ran at full speed for the Hokage building, barreling into her office. "Tsunade-sama! Sai told us the news and…!" She was immediately silent when she saw what Sai had said was the truth. "Oh, Kami." breathed Naruto. Sai was silent. Tsunade smiled. "And to think, he came back willingly."

There, with the Godaime, stood none other than Uchiha Sasuke. "Sa-Sasu…" Sakura murmured, tears coming to her eyes. Naruto looked at the ground. "Damn. There goes my chance…" Without warning, Sakura jumped forward and planted her fist in Sasuke's cheek. His head smashed into the window.

Everyone gasped. "Sakura!" Tsunade said disapprovingly. Inner Naruto was in full evil-laugh mode. "MAYBE I'M NOT DONE FOR YET!!" Sakura just panted and left her fist up. Sasuke carefully dislodged himself from the glass, turning to look at the shaking Sakura. "Sakura." He stated, and the tears stared flowing. She shook her head and hugged herself, looking at the ground. "Sasuke, you idiot! I hate you!" she managed, hitting his chest weakly.

Sasuke took her hand in his and smiled softly, ignoring the stabbing pain in his cheek and the blood dripping down his face. "Sakura." he said again. She looked up at him, rubbing away her tears. "What?" "Thank you for everything." He said, pulling her into a hug. She cried even harder than before and wrapped her arms around him. "Don't you ever leave me again!"

Sasuke placed one of his hands on the back of her head, holding her as close as possible to him. "I won't, Sakura. I promise you." Tsunade smiled again. "Good to hear, Sasuke." Naruto wasn't so sure how he felt about this situation anymore. Sai just walked out. This was no longer needed here.

Naruto decided to stand his ground. "Sakura, I need to tell you what I didn't ever get to finish telling you at your apartment…" No answer came from Sasuke or Sakura. Tsunade came to him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Naruto, let's leave them be for now." She steered him out of the room, closing the door behind her. When they were a ways down the hall, Tsunade stopped walking. "Naruto." She said, and he turned to her. "Yeah, What is it, Baa-chan?"

"You were telling Sakura you're in love with her." Tsunade simply stated, leaning against the wall. "Yeah, so? Sai pretty much already did that, I just figured she should hear it from me, since Y'know, I though maybe she might like me too…" He concluded lamely.

Tsunade smiled sadly. "Naruto, we can't always be with the ones we love. No matter how much you love them, sometimes they just won't ever like you like that." Naruto looked at her quizzically. "Baa-chan? Are you okay?" Tsunade realized tears had formed in her eyes. She nodded quickly. "Oh! Yes, of course! My eyes just water a lot when my allergies act up and stuff…"

Naruto started crying too. "Baa-chan, you love the Pervy Sage, don't you?" Tsunade's eyes widened as the two of them broke down in the hallway. "Yes, I do… and I always will…!" The two cried their hearts out in the middle of the hall, not caring about anything else but getting all those unwanted emotions out.

Suddenly light footsteps came up behind her. "T-Tsunade-sama. N-N-Naruto-kun… are y-you both o-okay?" Naruto quickly wiped away his tears, looking up. "Oh, Hinata." he said, helping Tsunade stand up as she hid her face, embarrassed. "We're sorry you had to see that, Hinata." She muttered, and walked away.

Naruto sighed and turned to Hinata. Suddenly, he had a flashback. When he was fighting Pain, Hinata had protected him. She had… she had confessed her love to him, and here he was, not responding to her at all! He was crying about Sakura who was happily in love with Sasuke, who had finally accepted her feelings…

He suddenly took a step forward and hugged Hinata. "Hinata, I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry for never noticing…!" Hinata gasped and blushed. "N-Naruto! W-wha…?!" "Hinata-chan, you've always loved me! I never noticed! I'm such an idiot, just like Sakura says! How do you look up to me, Hinata?! How can you do that for someone like me?!"

Hinata was no longer scared, or nervous. She smiled at him, a slight blush still on her cheeks. "Naruto-kun, I can look up to you because you're a fabulous and strong ninja and will make a great Hokage someday. I've been honored to know you since academy, and even more honored to have fallen in love with you…" She said.

Naruto let his tears keep flowing. "Thank you Hinata." He said, placing his forehead on his shoulder and his arms around her. "Thank you…" Hinata smiled and hugged him. "Even if you can never return my feelings, Naruto-kun, it's okay. Just letting me love you… is more than enough."

Naruto gripped her tightly. "Hinata…" He pulled back and looked into her opalescent eyes. "…yes, Naruto-kun?" she asked, breathless. "…I want to try." He said, leaning into her. "To try… what?" She whispered, her eyes sliding closed. "I want to fall in love with you." He answered simply, then kissed her.

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A few days later, Sasuke and Sakura walked hand-in-hand in the streets of Konoha, which, as you probably guessed, brought on many curious stares. Not that either one really cared, all that mattered was being together. Sakura stopped walking and pointed to a nearby store. "I'll be right back, Sasuke-kun! I just remembered something Tsunade asked me to get!"

Sasuke nodded and smiled as the pinkette went into the store. He sat on a bench in the town square and many shinobi glanced critically at him. Suddenly, a shout rang out. "SSSSAAAASSSUUKKKEEE!!!!" He writhed and turned around just as a blonde-haired figure slid onto the bench and smacked into him.

"Hi, Ino." he said, keeping his tone flat. "OOOHHH, Sasuke- kun. I was so worried about you when you were gone! I've missed you so much, and I still love you just as much as I did when you left! Oh, Sasuke! Just the sound of your voice melts all my sorrows I have built up over the years! Oh, and that reminds me…."

She kept on talking as Sasuke zoned out, thinking only of Sakura. Then she suddenly fell silent. "Soooo…" Ino asked, blushing, "You've come back to the village to… tell me you love me, right? I mean, I've waited for your return so diligently…"

Sasuke groaned irritably and stood up, walking away from her. "Ino, in case you haven't noticed…" he looked over his shoulder at her with a smirk, then turned all the way around as the door to the herb shop opened. "… I'm in love with Sakura."

Sakura blushed at this, not realizing Ino was sitting there next to her. "Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked, looking confused. "It's nothing." Sasuke said with a smile, taking Sakura's hand. Sakura still hadn't seen Ino at all. Ino sat on the bench, wistfully staring after them as they walked away.

She then stood and ran after them. "Hey, Sakura! Sasuke!" She called out, and they turned. Sakura looked surprised to see her. "Oh! Ino-chan!" She smiled, turning to face her friend. Ino didn't return her happy expression. "Sasuke, can we talk alone for a moment?" she asked, not even looking at him. He nodded, looking annoyed.

A few passersby wondered what was going on and stopped to look. What were these two Kunoichi doing? Dueling in town square? Ino gave Sakura a hard look, then took a deep breath. "Sakura, I promised myself I would never lose to you." She said. Sakura's eyes widened. "Ino, you…"

"No, Sakura. I want you to listen to me." Ino said. Sakura nodded, pressing her lips together obediently. Ino continued. "I promised I would never lose to you again. I thought I could keep that promise." Tears formed in the corners of her eyes, and she blinked them away.

"But… Sakura. Now I see. I couldn't beat you at this… I can't really beat you at much of anything. In battle, we're equal. We can't beat each other because our skill levels are so similar. In looks, well… I must say, you've grown into your billboard brow nicely."

Ino was having a hard time holding back her tears as she reached into her pocket, pulling out a red ribbon. "I promised… you would never beat me when it came to Sasuke." Both glanced over at him as she said this. "but… I can't beat you at that either. And I won't try to anymore…"

She looked over at Sasuke, finally letting the tears go. "Because I can see it, Sakura! I can see it and it hurts me!" Sakura looked distraught at her tears. Ino hugged Sakura. "I can see that he loves you! He really, truly does!" Sakura cried too, holding onto Ino.

Sasuke smiled gently. It was about time these two made up.

Ino dried her tears and took Sakura's Leaf headband off, tying the ribbon in instead. "It's always brought me luck. I want… I want you to have it back." Sakura blushed as she was handed her headband. She touched the red ribbon in her hair gently.

"Thank you, Ino-pig." She said half-heartedly. "You're welcome, Billboard Brow." Ino said with a real smile, and the girls laughed lightly together. Sasuke shook his head at them. "They'll never change." He said fondly.

When Sakura and Ino finally let go of each other, they smiled. "You'll always be my best friend, Ino. Without you, I never would have had the strength to do anything. Thank you…" "You're welcome, Sakura." Ino said, waving goodbye as Sakura and Sasuke left.

She turned and began walking the opposite direction.

"No." Ino said to herself, grinning. "You would have found your way without me. But I'm happy I was the one that got to help you all those years ago… You really have blossomed… Sakura."

She looked at the setting sun, not feeling any weight on her shoulders for the first time in eight years! It was a damn good feeling. Suddenly, someone called her name from behind. "Hey, Ino!!" She turned to see her no-longer-chubby-and actually-quite-handsome teammate, Chouji.

"Hey, Chouji!" she said, smiling at him for real. He looked taken aback for a moment, then blushed and smiled back. "Why in such a good mood, Ino?" He asked, walking side-by-side with her. "Oh, I just did something I've been wanting to do for a long time now!" she answered. Chouji wasn't quite sure what she meant, but smiled nonetheless.

"Great, Ino. You're really pretty when you smile for real."

"What's that supposed to mean, Akimichi?!"

"No! Wait!! Ino, you're always pretty, I just meant… um…"

"Just shut up and kiss me already!"

Chouji's eyes widened. "Say what, Ino? Are you feeling alright?" Ino blushed. "I'm feeling just fine! And I know you've always liked me, so go ahead, I won't mind." Chouji gulped. "Um… I… well…" Ino smiled slyly. "Well if you wont…" She took a few steps toward him and got on her tiptoes and whispered, "… then I will."

She pressed her lips to his lightly. Chouji's mind automatically shorted out. "I have died and gone to heaven. I'm dead… I must be, either that, Ino is high, or I'm dreaming…" He thought, absentmindedly encircling his arms around her waist.

"But come to think of it…" he thought, smiling within the kiss, "I would give up eating for a year of it meant I could kiss Ino everyday…"

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Shikamaru sighed as he walked out of the gates of Suna. He had finally finished escorting Temari home from Konoha. The Godaime knew damn-well Temari could take care of herself, yet she always insisted HE went along with her, 'just in case'.

"What a drag…" He muttered, looking up at the sky, which was cloudless. "Double drag." He said, looking back at the path. Suddenly, he heard footsteps behind him. He turned to see Temari running behind him. He stopped walking and turned to face her. "What?" He questioned, annoyed and ready to go home.

"Um… I…" Temari stammered (a very uncharacteristic gesture) while gasping for air. Shika raised an eyebrow. "You okay, Temari?" He asked. She nodded, then looked him in the eye. "Do want to know why you always have to escort me home?" She inquired, blushing. "Sure, why not?" Shika nodded. "Um… well… It's because I requested it!" Temari said, looking down and fidgeting.

Shika stared at her, a stupid expression on his face. "What?"

"I requested it! Because… I…"

"You… what?"

"I… I like your company!… a lot!"

"My company?"

"I like being around you! It makes me really happy!"

"I… I make you happy? You… like being around me? I thought you thought I was boring?"

"God, I thought you were some kind of genius or something!!" Temari yelled, looking frustrated.

"Well, my IQ is…"

"I don't give a damn about you IQ!! Why can't you just see that I… really, really like you!!"

"…really, really, like me?"

"You just want me to embarrass myself don't you?" Temari looked ready to cry. "What a troublesome girl you are." Shika said, stepping forward and gathering her up in his arms. She didn't quite know how to react. "You need to just say it. Say how you really feel."

Temari gripped his shirt, looking up at him. "I… I love you, Shikamaru!" Shika smiled at her. "Say it as many times as you want… that one will never be troublesome to me." "I love you…" Temari said again, smiling back at him through her tears.

"It's a drag to admit, but I love you, too." Shika said, capturing her lips. She blushed even more then before, but kissed him back. "I guess you're right, Ohoto-chan…" She thought happily. "If I never admit my feelings nothing could have ever happened…" They broke apart and Shika took her hand. "So, does this mean I have to move to Suna?"

Temari giggled. "Actually, I'm becoming a permanent ambassador for Suna to the Leaf."

"So, that means?"

"I'll be living in Konoha, for a long, long time."

"And I won't let you waste a moment of it."

"I was hoping you would say that. You promise, not even a moment?"

"Not even a moment." Shika smiled, kissing her again as the desert was bathed in the light of the setting sun.

Gaara and Kankuro watched from the Kazekage building's roof. "Told you he'd like her back." Gaara muttered. Kankuro pouted. "We're losing our sister to that lazy smoker. Have some emotion, will you?" Gaara raised an eyebrow. "Hey, you know what this means, right?" he asked with a slight smirk.

"What?" Kankuro asked, slightly confused. Gaara's smirk turned on full power as he walked away. "Uncle Kankuro gets to take care of all the little nieces and nephews." Kankuro's mouth dropped open as he looked after his little brother, then back toward his sister.

He turned and went after Gaara. "H-hey, you don't really think they'll…?! Gaara!! …You're joking right?! GAARA?!"

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As the sun made its final decent on the horizon, Sakura and Sasuke were laying side by side on a grassy hill with a great view-- perfect for sunset-watching. Sasuke sighed in contentment. Sakura looked at him lovingly. "What is it, Sasuke-kun?" she asked, smiling and propping herself up on an elbow to see him better.

Sasuke smiled back at her, leaning forward just a little to kiss her gently. "Just thinking of how happy I am that I came back…" he answered as she blushed. "I'm so happy you're back, Sasuke-kun… Naru-baka was trying to get me to date him." Sasuke chuckled. "Like I would have let that happen."

Sakura looked puzzled. "What would you have done?"

"I would have stolen you away."

"Really?"

"Yes. I couldn't stand for you being with anyone but me."

The wind blew gently and it was silent for a moment before Sakura spoke again.

"Did you… miss me wile you were gone?"

"Yes. Very much so."

"I thought you had another girl."

"You mean Karin? She hardly counts for anything. She was only there because she could heal."

"I can heal too." A slight trace of jealousy hinted Sakura's voice.

"And that's why I don't need Karin anymore. You're cuter, you mean more to me, and I love you." Sasuke smiled and turned on his side to face her. "… I always have. You're my beloved Sakura. That's why it's you by my side and not her."

Sakura smiled at him. "You mean it?"

"I'd rather have no one else to help me revive my clan."

"Sasuke… do you mean… are you asking me to…"

"…Marry me? Yes."

Tears came to Sakura's eyes as he pulled a ring out of one of the numerous pockets in his jounin vest, smiling and helping her to her feet before getting on one knee. "Will you marry me, Haruno Sakura? I will love you every day of my life, such as I essentially already have."

"Yes! Yes, of course, Sasuke! This day is one I thought I could only dream of…!" Sakura cried as he slipped the dainty ring on her finger, then hugged her. She hugged him back tightly, then both of them turned toward the sun, which just had a tiny bit to go.

There was a brilliant flash of green and Sakura gasped. "What was that?!" she asked excitedly, taking Sasuke's hand and running a little toward the horizon, as if she thought she could touch it if she ran just the small way toward it. "That was so pretty! What was it?!" She asked again, acting like a hyper kid. Sasuke himself found this adorable.

"It was a green flash. They're very rare." He answered, smiling. "Rare?" She smiled back. "Kami must be blessing our engagement, Sasuke-kun!" Sasuke grinned even wider. "Well thank Kami for that." Sakura looked shocked. "You have a nice smile, Sasuke-kun…" she whispered, looking down to hide her blush. Sasuke lifted up Sakura's chin to look at him. "I'll smile whenever you want. Only for you." He told her. She blushed a shade darker than her hair as he kissed her again.

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As the sun sets on Kohona,

The last remainders of light escape over the treetops.

As a gentle wind caresses the village,

The path becomes darker,

But the future becomes clearer.

Many sunrises and sunsets will follow.

Time will pass for the Konoha eleven and Suna three…

Peacefully,

Lovingly,

Slowly….

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This was Crap. Leave a review anyway? Please? :)

It was supposed to be only 2 pages but ended up being 8, and its probably very confusing… not too mention I haven't started on chapter 7 of LVS! I'm sorry! I'll get to work!!!

I am Griffin, hear me RA--ihatenarusaku--WR!!


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